Chapter 2

Bonnie woke up to the sharp smell of disinfectant.

She opened her eyes to a stark white ceiling, the steady beeping of machines filling the room.

"You're awake?" A warm, handsome face came into view. he looked kind and gentle as he spoke.

The man was wearing a white lab coat. His badge read: [Neurosurgery. Nelson Nicholson]

"I..." Bonnie tried to sit up, but a dull ache weighed heavily in her lower abdomen.

Nelson said softly, gently holding her shoulders, "Don't move. You had a D&C. You need to rest."

Those words struck Bonnie like lightning, shattering her soul and leaving her utterly lost.

She quickly looked down at her abdomen. It was flat, as it always had been, but now, all traces of life were gone.

"The baby. My baby..." Bonnie's voice shook so badly it was barely audible.

Nelson said, a trace of pain flickering in his eyes, "I'm sorry. When you were brought in, you were hemorrhaging badly. To save your life, we had no choice but to..."

Bonnie froze.

She remembered that night of pouring rain, how she fell on the steps, and the warm liquid between her legs.

She realized that it wasn't rain after all. It was her baby's blood.

Bonnie whispered, her tears falling soundlessly, "Why did you save me? Why didn't you let me die..."

Nelson furrowed his brow, was about to speak, when the hospital room door burst open.

A nurse rushed in. "Dr. Nicholson, there's someone outside looking for Miss Binder. He claims to be her husband."

Bonnie stiffened all over.

She wondered if Alfred had come.

She instinctively looked toward the door, but instead of Alfred, it was Violet who walked in, her high heels clicking on the floor as she carried a basket of fruit.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Violet asked, her face full of concern, but a flicker of satisfaction flashed in her eyes when she saw Bonnie's pale face.

She said, "I heard you were in the hospital, so I rushed over with Alfred. He's parking the car downstairs, so I came up first. Why are you crying?"

Bonnie turned her face away, not wanting Violet to see how vulnerable she was.

Violet said, sitting down by the bed and lowering her voice, "Bonnie, don't be like this.

"It's a shame about the baby, but honestly, it's probably for the best. Think about it.

"If you got divorced while carrying Alfred's child, it would be a huge mess for you later on."

Bonnie whipped her head around, fixing Violet with a deadly stare. "What did you say?"

"Did I say something wrong?" Violet blinked innocently.

She said, "Alfred was worried you'd use the baby to tie him down, but now that's not a problem anymore.

"He said even though the baby's gone, you'll still get every cent of the alimony he promised you..."

"Get out," Bonnie said, her voice cold and sharp.

"Bonnie, please..." Violet said.

"Get out!" Bonnie snapped.

Bonnie grabbed a pillow and flung it at Violet. The sudden movement made her wound flare up, and she sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

Nelson moved quickly, stepping protectively in front of Violet. "Miss, the patient needs rest. Please leave."

Violet's expression shifted, but with Nelson there, she didn't dare lose her temper.

She stood up, smoothed her dress, and looked down at Bonnie with a smug superiority.

She said, "Bonnie, make sure you get plenty of rest. I almost forgot. Alfred said the divorce certificate is ready. Someone will deliver it to you tomorrow."

With that, she turned and left, her high heels clicking down the hallway, every step ringing out like a taunt.

Bonnie lay in bed, her whole body trembling.

She remembered that rainy night, the icy indifference on Alfred's face as he tore up the ultrasound report.

She realized that not only did Alfred not want this baby, but he also worried that she would use it as leverage over him.

Three years of marriage, and in the end, she was nothing more than a vain, materialistic woman in his eyes.

Nelson said, handing her a glass of water, "Miss Binder. You need to calm down."

Bonnie took the glass but didn't drink. She stared at her tired face reflected in the water, and suddenly, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Dr. Nicholson, tell me. How dumb does someone have to be to get burned by the same thing three times?" Bonnie said.

Nelson looked at her in silence.

onnie said softly, her voice so quiet it was almost like she was telling someone else's story, "I first met Alfred when I was twenty-two.

"I'd been brought back into the Binder family, and I was clueless, like a total country bumpkin.

"He was Violet's childhood sweetheart, the golden boy everyone looked up to.

"I fell for him the moment I saw him, and it took me two whole years to get the chance to marry him.

"I always believed that if I worked hard enough, I could touch his heart. But I forgot that some people's hearts are made of stone.

"No matter how much you try, you'll never melt them."

She lowered her head, staring at her hands. "For three years, I learned to cook for him, studied etiquette, and tried to figure out how to be a proper Mrs. Carr.

"I endured his silent treatment, Violet's constant jabs, and the whole city laughing at me. I thought at least having his baby would change things between us.

"And what did I get in the end?"

Bonnie let out a bitter laugh, tears spilling down her cheeks. "He wouldn't even spare me a glance. He thought I was lying to him.

"He even thought I'd use the baby to tie him down."

Nelson was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Miss Binder, have you ever thought that maybe you don't love Alfred?

"Maybe you love the version of him you've built up in your mind."

Bonnie froze, caught off guard by Nelson's words. For a moment, she couldn't find anything to say.

Nelson said, his voice gentle but carrying a quiet strength that went straight to her core, "True love isn't supposed to be like this.

"All you've gotten from this marriage is pain and rejection. This isn't love. It's an obsession."

Bonnie let the words sink in, and for the first time, she felt something inside her start to loosen.

She wondered what she actually loved about Alfred.

She wondered if it was his icy stare, his ruthless mockery, or the way he kept throwing her aside for another woman.

What she really loved was the boy she met when she was twenty-two, who dazzled her beneath the moonlight.

But that boy was never hers.

Bonnie said, taking a deep breath and wiping away her tears, "Thank you, Dr. Nicholson. I finally understand now."

Bonnie pushed aside the covers and started to get out of bed.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Nelson reached out to block her. "You had surgery. You need to stay put."

Bonnie said, her voice frighteningly calm, "I want out of here. I can't stand being in this place for even one more second."

"At least stay for one more day so we can keep an eye on you," Nelson said.

Bonnie replied, her eyes full of fierce determination, "No. Thanks for saving me, Dr. Nicholson. But from now on, my life is mine alone."

Nelson looked at her, and suddenly, he saw an unexpected strength shining through this fragile woman.

He sighed and turned to leave. "I'll handle your discharge procedures."

Half an hour later, Bonnie stepped out through the hospital doors, still dressed in her thin hospital clothes.

The gentle March sunlight fell across her pale face, but no amount of warmth could melt the ice in her heart.

She stood by the side of the road, watching the endless traffic go by, and suddenly realized she had nowhere to go.

The Binder family only ever saw her as a tool. She never wanted to go back there again.

The Carr family's villa was no longer hers.

She reached into her pocket. She only had a handful of bills and her ID.

She was flat broke, with not a single place to call home.

Bonnie let out a bitter laugh, about to take a step, when a sleek black Maybach suddenly pulled up right in front of her.

The window rolled down, revealing Alfred's cold, chiseled profile.

"Get in," he said, his voice icy and emotionless.

Bonnie looked at Alfred, the man she'd spent five years loving. Suddenly, he seemed like a total stranger.

She said, her voice hoarse but steady, "Mr. Carr, we're already divorced."

Alfred frowned. "Bonnie, don't make this harder than it needs to be. You just lost the baby. You need someone to take care of you."

"I don't need your help," Bonnie said.

"Are you planning to sleep on the street?" Alfred said, his tone cold as ever.

Bonnie replied, turning away, "That's for me to deal with. It's none of your business."

Alfred pushed open the car door, caught up to her in a few quick strides, and grabbed her wrist. "Bonnie!"

His grip was painfully strong, but Bonnie didn't even flinch. She looked at him calmly. "Mr. Carr, please let go."

Alfred was stunned.

He'd never seen Bonnie like this. She used to watch him so carefully, always searching for his approval, hoping for a smile, terrified of upsetting him.

Even the slightest frown from him would send her into a panic for hours.

But now, when she looked at him, it was as if he was a complete stranger.

"You..." Alfred opened his mouth, but couldn't find anything to say.

Bonnie said, gently pulling her hand free, "Alfred, after three years. I'm tired.

"I'm done loving you, and I'm done hating you, too. From now on, we're done. You live your life, and I'll live mine."

With that, she turned and walked away. her silhouette looked fragile, but she held her head high and her back straight.

Alfred stood there, watching her figure fade into the crowd, and suddenly, it felt like something inside him had been hollowed out.

It was as if something important was slipping away from him.

He couldn't do a thing to stop it.